Wedded, Bedded, and Livin' in Love
by Adonis blue
Summary: Seven Brothers from the backwoods of Oregon found seven brides for themselves, and they all lived happily ever after... Well, at least it was never dull for Sarah & Frank, with a team of nosy siblings and two very hot tempers. 7Bf7B
1. Prologue

A/N: A very long prologue to encourage you to read a bit of back story. If you haven't seen _Seven Brides for Seven Brothers_, please go watch t now. If you're too lazy to watch it now, but have positively put it on your agenda, investigate at imdb or for a quick synopsis.

I'm still getting used to writing in a style other than what I do for HP, and if you can't already tell, I love writing about feisty lovers, so bear with me through the process. And drop some constructive criticism in the review box. Thanks!

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****Prologue**

"Close yor eyes."

"Oh Frank, you know I--"

"Just hush up and close em."

Sarah huffed, but did so. Immediately and to her delight, she felt a hot pressure on her lips. She couldn't keep the sigh from escaping after Frank pulled away. It reminded her of that fateful night, when he had stolen her--and her heart--away from her father's home.

"Frank!" she blushed slightly as she looked up at him.

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. But that wasn't your surprise. Close yor eyes."

"Not again," Sarah whined.

"Now Sarah, I am yor husband. You have to do as I say."

"Frank Pontipee, I do not have to do any such thing!"

"Fine," he sighed rocking back on his heels, "but ya won't get your surprise."

Sarah thought about it for a moment. "Can't you just show it to me?"

"Nope. Then it won't be a surprise."

"Oh alright. But only because I want to," she fussed before closing her eyes once again.

"Right this way madam," he said, taking her hand and leading her forward.

They walked for a while in a winding path that Sarah assumed led through the woods surrounding his brother Adam's cabin. "Watch out for that root!"

"Frank, this is silly. How much longer?"

"Just a bit."

"Frank."

"You are the most impatient girl I've ever met."

"I'm the only girl you've met."

"Be nice," he whispered, suddenly very close to her.

She gasped and he laughed, resuming their walking. She only put up with this because she knew it was making him happy. And because she had a feeling she knew what was coming. She had waited a while for this, as Frank was elder brother only to Gideon, she had to wait through Benjamin and Dorcas, Caleb and Ruth, Daniel and Martha, _and_ Ephraim and Liza. Finally, it was their turn.

"Oh!" She hadn't been paying attention and her formerly carefully-placed footing had fallen by the wayside.

"Root," said Frank, catching her easily. The fright of the fall caused her to open her eyes. Her face had landed right in the flannel of Frank's chest. She looked up at him, grimacing.

"Be careful. And close 'em." She opened her moth to object, but he cut her off. "We're almost there. Please, honey."

Much to her chagrin, she melted at the endearment. "For you," she wrinkled her nose.

She had just enough time to see him beam before she shut her eyes again.

"Just a bit further." He was speeding up.

"Frank, just to remind you, I'm walking blind."

"Here. I'll help you along." Suddenly, Sarah was swept off the ground, feeling what she had once before--Franks' shoulder beneath her stomach.

"Frank, put me down. Frank!"

"Not a chance!"

She was bouncing along as he jogged. She put her hands on his back to give her some sense of stability.

"Frank, I've got to open my eyes."

"Alright," he said suddenly, letting her slide with a bang onto her feet. "You kin open em now." As she obeyed, he spun her around.

Before her sat the most beautiful little cabin she had ever seen. From the looks of it, Liza and Ruth had started a garden on the side, and she recognized little Alice's touch in the lace curtains at the front windows. The ground around it had been cleared, and, per tradition, they had been given two pigs, a lamb, and a cow. Frank would still help Adam work the vast lands of their father, but they now had something that was just their own.

And _privacy_, Sarah realized. Not that she didn't love living with Milly and the other girls, but there was hardly space for alone time unless it was outdoors somewhere. It was also a new Pontipee tradition that the couple be given a free week off of chores. A honeymoon, of sorts. The honeymoon they had never truly had. Sarah blushed scarlet.

"Do--do ya like it?"

"Oh, Frank!" Sarah managed to choke out before throwing all of herself onto him. They were still kissing as he picked her up and carried her into the cabin.

Once they had crossed the threshold, he set her down. "You're cryin'?" He sounded shocked.

"Only because it's so beautiful."

"So, so you're happy?"

"Yes, Frankincense Pontipee," --she was the only one ever allowed to call him that-- "I am so happy I could scream."

He still looked slightly wary, so she brushed her tears away and asked him, "Show me the inside?"

"Well, this here's the kitchen and eatin' room," he pointed to her right. "Over there's a room with a fireplace, for sittin'" he gestured to the left. "And back there," he took her hand, "is the--" he gulped, "bedroom."

"Oh?" Sarah walked forward to peek into the room. Here, finally, was Dorcas' touch. It was so cozy, and there was a beautiful porcelain vase sitting on the table next to the bed. She had filled it with wildflowers.

"Sarah," Frank moved to stand in front of her, "welcome home," she smiled as he bent his head to kiss her.

"Wait," she pulled back. "What's upstairs?"

"Oh, that. That's nothin'."

"I want to see, Frank. Please?"

"C'mon," He tugged at her hand and walked up the staircase. The top was divided into two parts.

"Two--two more bedrooms?"

"Well, in case someone comes to stay…"

"But two?"

"Or in case someday we might--iffin' we was to--"

He was so adorable when he got shy--which was hardly ever.

"I see." She fiddled with her fingers and tired to stop the smile from lighting up her whole face. Dorcas was already pregnant. She supposed it was a benefit to having your own cabin.

"Well, I suppose you're hungry."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Let's go get something to eat." Having helped prepare the other cabins, she knew that there would be food waiting for them in the kitchen. She bounded down the staircase, Frank hot on her heels.

"Ooh, look, Frank. Milly's fresh bread, and vegetables and venison and--"

"I ain't exactly that kind of hungry." One arm circled around her waist and the other pushed her long hair over her shoulder. She felt his lips trailing along the back of her neck.

"What about supper?"

"It can wait 'til later."

She turned to face him. "Are you sure you don't want just a bit of--"

He cut her off, pressing his lips onto hers. The hair on her arms crept up to standing.

"No," he stepped back with a mischievous gleam sparking in his eyes.

"If--If you're sure…"

He smiled wide, showing off all his teeth. "Oh, I'm sure."


	2. A Pregnant Pause

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is owned by many people, none of whom could be mistaken for me. Oh well, such is life.

A/N: Ever since I first watched this film, I fell in love with Tommy Rall as Frank. He was so feisty, always ready for a fight. Then I researched the play script and Sarah is supposed to be the same way, which immediately reminded me to the two fires and the Taming of the Shrew and the battle of the sexes and all that. I wondered how they would handle living together, and how they would cope with some of the difficulties I imagined… and so this thing of a story was born. Hope you like it. I don't think anyone else was crazy enough to write about this musical, but it's a gem. You should definitely watch it, if you haven't already.

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"Oh Alice," Sarah cried, "I'm so happy for you. That's wonderful." She tried. She tried very hard to sound excited for her friend and youngest sister, but the words sounded false as they were coming out. Alice was too thrilled to even notice. And why shouldn't she be? It was Christmas, and she had just gotten the best present any woman could ask for.

A baby.

She stood behind the chair Milly had just vacated. All the girls and many of the brothers crowded around the young couple. Alice was the recipient of countless hugs, while Gideon's hair was mussed and his ego soundly abused.

And behind the chair stood Sarah. She felt as if she were back in the town, hearing stories of the Pontipee brothers' latest disastrous visit into town, completely outside of this happiness. Looking down, she realized that her hand gripped the chair back with such force that her knuckles were turning white.

The pleasant chatter continued; Martha and Liza, having most recently discovered their own pregnancies, were full of tips for little Alice, who, Sarah thought, was only a baby herself. Everyone, everyone was pregnant except Milly, who already had Hannah. Dorcas was looking ready to pop. It was Milly's perfect vision of a family, except for one thing.

Her. Sarah just didn't fit anywhere anymore. She didn't fit with the rest. They would all have their children running around their feet, adding to the noise of Christmases and Birthdays. Except her and Frank, who seemed doomed to remain childless, the perpetual aunt and uncle. Would she always be forced to play with other people's children, or would she someday have one of her own?

And when would that someday come? It seemed as if there was something wrong, that she was not yet carrying her own child.

_It's not for lack of trying_, she thought as she glanced over at Frank, who stood silent in a crowd of laughing men. Just then, he looked over at her, directly. Sarah knew exactly the thought behind those eyes, even though she looked away a second after their eyes connected. It was either stay and look again, or join the other women, all either with-child or mothers, and try not to be completely self-absorbed. Either way would be difficult, but she thought she chose the easier path when she spread her lips into what she hoped looked something like a smile and drifted to the chattering group of women.

All the while, she could feel something burning into her back. She thought she knew what it was. Or rather, just who it was.

At least the girls hadn't said anything to her. That was keeping in bearable. They were all too concerned with Alice and with themselves. Or it could just be that they had the good grace not to bring up her. You could count on women for things like that.

"Hey Frank," called Benjamin above the noise. Men it seemed, could not be counted upon to show anything remotely like tact.

"Hey Frank," Ben called again.

And because Sarah was just paranoid enough to know what was coming, she hoped to the highest in Heaven that someone would distract Benjamin, perhaps by punching him in the gut before he could get anything out.

It seemed that she would not be granted that kind of grace today.

"Well, that's all of us, men." There was a pregnant pause. A very pregnant pause. "Except one. What's the matter, Frank?" Benjamin smirked. Some of the other boys snickered. "Having some trouble being a good husband? It seems like little Frankincense here's the only one who hasn't managed t--"

Sarah never heard the rest. She knew as soon as Ben used Frank's full name, he was done.

Sarah couldn't help it; she turned in horror toward the boys. Adam and Gideon had each grabbed an arm. Little Gideon wasn't quite strong enough. He was hanging off of Frank's bicep, struggling against his older brother's will and his own tangled feet.

Milly had moved to stand in between the boys, hands outstretched in an effort to keep the peace. Ben stood massaging his jaw. Frank had obviously managed to clip him and unsettling Gideon.

"Now, boys. That's enough! There'll be no fighting in this house. You know the rules. And even if you don't care about humiliating and hurting yourselves, I would have thought you'd stop to think about your wives – hurtin' them. You ought to be ashamed of fightin' in the same room as the women carrying your children.

Automatically, all the younger brothers hung their heads. They could never quite shake that time when Milly was both sister and mother to them.

"Simmier down, all of you," she chose those words, but she look directly at Benjamin & Frank, piercing them with her blue eyes. "This is a happy time. A family time."

"Sorry Milly," Benjamin mumbled, as Dorcas frowned beside him. Alice had rushed over to see if Gideon was all right. Adam shook Frank's arm menacingly one last time to warn him against further uncivilized behavior before releasing him. He did not, however, release him from the pointed stare until Frank opened his mouth to mumble his own apology.

Sarah wanted to move to beside him, but she never made it. She couldn't seem to get her lead feet off the floor. Several emotions rocketed around, pulling at her insides. She couldn't quite make them out. She only knew that she didn't want to leave tonight. She did not want to go home with what Frank would be tonight.

Small groups of nervous chatter broke out as the girls restarted conversation. Sarah's eyes closed, and she took a deep breath.

Right on cue, Frank's voice carried across the room. "Sarah. We're going home."

A brief silence followed as all heads turned to first look at him, then her. Sarah couldn't help in, she shoved her chin into the air and managed a twitch somewhere near her mouth.

He walked past her, not waiting for her to turn around. "Let's go," he barked before slamming the door behind him.

"Sarah looked directly at Alice. "I'm so sorry. Congratulations, dear. You all have a nice evening." Then, her head still held high, she directed a glare at Benjamin before turning on her heel and flouncing with as much dignity as she could muster out the door after her husband.

As soon as she heard the click behind her that signaled the closed door, her shoulders slumped and her chest deflated.

Frank already had the wagon waiting. Naturally. A slight anger at him ruffled through the sadness, and so, when she made her way over to the wagon and hoisted herself up next to him, she made sure to huff loudly.

"I had to pull the wagon up," he grunted.

"I don't care that you didn't help me up," she snapped, although a part of her did. It was the first time he hadn't since they had been married. "I am perfectly capable of climbing into a wagon myself, thank you very much Frank Pointipee." It was more that he hadn't made the effort at all. He hadn't even offered her his hand.

But that wasn't why she was truly irritated, of course.

Oh, how she did not want to go home.

Frank grunted and snapped the horses into action. Sarah took one last wistful look at the warm glow coming from Millie's cabin as they pulled away into the dusk. Silently, she began to prepare herself for the argument that had been haunting her waking and sleeping hours for the past few months.


End file.
